There isn’t any scarcity of lovely spots to trip in Greece. And whereas many of the vacationers head for the islands, we favor to spend our time on the mainland.
Earlier this 12 months, we lastly adventured to the Peloponnese, an unspoiled, wildly stunning area simply 3 hours west of Athens. Tucked away from the world-famous locations on mainland Greece and the nation’s islands, the Peloponnese peninsula is stuffed with hidden gems which were protected against the overdevelopment that always comes with tourism.
Certainly one of these pristine areas is Costa Navarino, a sustainable resort vacation spot that celebrates the area’s cultural historical past whereas defending its treasured ecosystems.
Positioned within the Peloponnese area of Messinia, Costa Navarino sits on the southwestern nook of the peninsula, on the fringe of the Ionian Sea. House to charming coastal villages and spectacular archaeological websites, the area of Messinia is an attractive place to discover, with Costa Navarino being a gem for guests in search of a calming expertise.
With a pristine shoreline, secluded coves, and 4,500 years of historical past, Costa Navarino affords a lot to expertise and is an attractive vacation spot for anybody visiting Greece.
Costa Navarino
Sustainability of the Area
Because the resort vacation spot was first established, sustainability has been on the coronary heart of each growth idea. We completely cherished how a lot effort and thought was put into the properties at Costa Navarino.
All growth efforts are strongly dedicated to selling sustainable tourism that protects the pure setting and communities within the area.
As a part of the World Tourism Plastics Initiative, Costa Navarino is dedicated to eliminating pointless plastic packaging by 2025, and the resorts have set a goal to succeed in carbon neutrality by 2030.
Resorts have been designed with constructing supplies that scale back vitality consumption and more and more depend on renewable vitality. The truth is, Costa Navarino is residence to Europe’s largest geothermal vitality system of underground pipes!
Issues to do in Costa Navarino
We spent 4 days exploring Costa Navarino within the Peloponnese and found loads to maintain us busy on this stunning vacation spot. Listed here are only a few of our prime issues to do in Costa Navarino.
1. Go to the attractive Voidokilia Seashore.
Positioned a 15-minute drive south of the resorts of Romanos and about 25 minutes north of Pylos is the enduring Voidokilia Seashore. This seashore strains a semicircular cove guarded by rock formations that give it the well-known Greek omega form that it’s recognized for.
The protected cove has shallow, calm, crystal-clear water and effective, golden sand – excellent for a calming afternoon. Since this seashore is protected against growth and something that disrupts the ecosystem and pure magnificence, there aren’t any on-site facilities. So make sure you convey drinks, meals, towels, and anything to make your go to snug.
There’s a cave on the far finish of the seashore, which you’ll attain by following a brief however steep path up (extra on that later within the article). The spot on the prime affords nice views of the omega-shaped seashore.
Voidokilia Seashore
2. Discover the Ruins of Historical Messini
Positioned about 1.5 hours from Costa Navarino, the ruins of Historical Messini are an ideal vacation spot for a street journey. At over 2,000 years previous, this is without doubt one of the most spectacular archaeological websites in Greece, and it has been UNESCO-listed lately.
At these historical ruins, you’ll see an enormous, well-preserved stadium, an agora, a temple, and a big theatre. You’ll study the historical past of Historical Messini and the way it was constructed on a fair older website with ties to legendary Zeus!
Working hours and admission costs differ based on the season, so verify the web site beforehand. Admission is €5 through the winter and €10 through the summer time season, and you should buy e-tickets forward of time.
3. Go to the Picturesque City of Pylos
House to a number of luxurious resorts in Costa Navarino, Pylos’s stunning and historical city is unfold throughout a sea-facing slope, providing gorgeous views of the Ionian Sea and Navarino Bay beneath.
As soon as a crucial Mycenaean Bronze Age metropolis, Pylos has over 3,000 years of historical past, and the city has some implausible historical ruins open to guests. Probably the most spectacular website is the New Citadel of Pylos or Niokastro. Even should you aren’t a lot of a historical past buff, the views from this Sixteenth-century fortress are breathtaking – this spot is value visiting.
4. Spend Time Outdoor
Joyful to report that you simply don’t should go far for an out of doors journey in Costa Navarino. The realm is stuffed with breathtaking landscapes. The way you expertise the world’s pure magnificence is as much as you. There are difficult hikes, leisurely bike excursions, and academic excursions obtainable.
Go on a Hike
For a scenic hike, you don’t should journey far; contemplate the trek as much as King Nestor’s cave and the Outdated Navarino Citadel. These landmarks overlook the attractive Voidokilia Seashore and function vantage factors for superb coast views. You may park north of the seashore, hike alongside the dunes, after which up the hill to the cave and the traditional fortress on the prime of the hill.
Take a Biking Tour
To see extra of the countryside, contemplate becoming a member of a biking tour of the area. We went with Navarino Outdoor, an clothing store on-site at Costa Navarino. They provide guided and self-guided excursions with itineraries that cross via villages, olive groves, and beautiful seashores.
In case you are in search of an awesome path, we actually cherished our cycle journey to Gialova Lagoon, positioned instantly east of Voidokilia Seashore. The lagoon is a protected hydro biotops residence to many uncommon species. House to over 250 fowl species, Gialova Lagoon is a birdwatcher’s paradise, and the Greek Ornithological Society affords instructional excursions of the lagoon’s totally different ecosystems.
Biking round Voidokilia Seashore
5. Get on the Water
Thrill seekers and watersports fans have loads of actions, and preparations may be made via Navarino Watersports by Moraitis.
Primarily based within the W Costa Navarino resort, this watersports hub affords adventures in SUP, windsurfing, and extra. SUP, specifically, is a good way to benefit from the water whereas getting a implausible view of the shoreline. We rented one in all their large 6-person SUP boards and had a blast for a number of hours on the water. Carry drinks, snacks and make a time out of it! Simply don’t neglect to pack reef-safe sunscreen!
E mail for info and reservations.
6. Eat, Drink, and Be Merry
Being one in all Greece’s most agriculturally fertile areas, Messinia affords unparalleled produce, recent seafood, and historically made cheeses.
The farm-to-table means of consuming by no means actually went away right here, and even the massive resorts have made particular efforts to make sure their elements are regionally sourced or grown proper there on the resort grounds.
Whereas it’s handy to eat on the resort’s superb eating places, don’t miss out on the native tavernas’ regional specialties and conventional dishes.
We had an unbelievable meal at Poseidonia Restaurant in Pylos. Their recent seafood and conventional Greek dishes ready with superb native produce made for the right meal in an enthralling seaside setting.
One other superb beachfront restaurant is Barbouni, which is a part of The Westin Resort. Positioned at Navarino Dunes Seashore, Barbouni focuses on freshly caught seafood and Greek dishes made with native olive oil, natural greens, and conventional cheeses. Don’t miss an opportunity to take a look at the distinctive restaurant design, with a “stay” ceiling that has turn into Instagram well-known.
Positioned by the Navarino Watersports Centre at W Costa Navarino, Inexperienced Pepper Restaurant is one other great place at Costa Navarino. This restaurant focuses on healthful plant-based dishes made with regionally sourced produce.
7. Calm down and Rejuvenate in Luxurious Resorts and Spas
Award-winning Anazoe Spa in The Westin Resort is legendary for its signature oleotherapy therapies, that are based mostly on conventional Greek well being and sweetness therapies and incorporate the area’s superb, healthful olive oil. Their therapies use organically grown herbs from the spa’s personal backyard!
Away Spa, positioned within the W Costa Navarino, however, is thought for its wonderful detox therapies and pampering providers like facials and mani-pedis. This wellness spa gives extra of a social expertise for his or her visitors, very like the standard spas of Historical Greece.
W resort in Costa Navarino
8. Spend the Day Crusing
For a singular, personalised expertise, contemplate getting on the water. It’s one in all our favourite issues to do in Costa Navarino and in Greece on the whole. Actually, no journey to Greece could be full for us with out spending at the very least a day on a ship.
Throughout this go to, we hopped aboard Alegria 47, an attractive non-public catamaran, and spent a day crusing the waters alongside Costa Navarino. It’s a good way to entry the entire castles, seashores, and seaside villages. You may constitution the catamaran for a number of hours or for a number of days and customise your itinerary to fit your wants. You’ll have a extremely skilled captain and a personal chef to be sure you have a calming, secure, and pleasing crusing journey. Simply wait until you strive their meals!
Oksana and Max on a ship crusing round Costa Navarino
The place to Keep
Westin Costa Navarino
Positioned 16 km north of Pylos, this beachfront luxurious resort has 445 rooms with a wide range of worth factors and options. Many rooms have views of the Ionian Sea, some models have non-public infinity swimming pools, whereas premium suites provide non-public terraces, particular person swimming pools, and the perfect views of the coast.
The resort is residence to the award-winning Anazoe Spa, an onsite golf course, and a kid-friendly Aqua Park. An onsite health studio is totally geared up with train machines, and health professionals provide yoga and pilates lessons.
Onsite eating places provide conventional Greek delicacies ready with Messinia-grown elements, greens, and herbs grown within the resort’s gardens. The resort additionally has a restaurant and deli that supply regional pastries and regionally made cheeses.
Keep right here in case you are touring as a household, as there’s lots to do right here to maintain children and grown-ups entertained for days!
Seashore in Costa Navarino Westin Resort in Peloponnese, Greece
W Costa Navarino
Positioned in Pylos, this waterfront luxurious resort was constructed with sustainable, regionally sourced pure supplies. The resort has 246 rooms, suites, and villas with backyard entrance, beachfront, or bay views.
The in-house Watersports Centre affords water adventures, or you possibly can calm down on the Away Spa. A big infinity pool is out there to all visitors, and the resort affords bike and automobile leases for many who favor to create their very own journey.
5 eating places within the resort provide a wide range of eating experiences however are all centered on Messinian-inspired dishes created with the perfect, regionally sourced elements. The resort’s seashore membership comes alive at night time and sometimes hosts DJ occasions and themed reveals.
It is a great place to remain in case you are touring as a pair; you’ll discover nice facilities and an elevated stage of luxurious in each nook of this property.
The Romanos
A Luxurious Assortment Resort, The Romanos is positioned within the Navarino Dunes space. Positioned within the Navarino Dunes space, The Romanos is simply 25 minutes north of Pylos and some minutes away from Voidokilia Seashore.
This extremely rated sustainable resort affords 321 luxurious rooms, suites, and villas set in entrance of two golf programs alongside The Dunes Seashore, with some villas providing unobstructed sea views and direct entry to the seashore.
The onsite Navarino Out of doors Academy affords guided mountaineering, biking, and climbing excursions for the adventurous, whereas the resort spa focuses on conventional Greek and Far Japanese therapies that promote wellness and leisure. The health middle has an indoor lap pool, a big outside pool, and a play pool with slides for teenagers.
Eating choices embody all kinds of eating places providing Mediterranean, pan-Asian, Center Japanese, and conventional Greek delicacies. The Romanos is a nice possibility for each {couples} and households.
Mandarin Oriental
The Mandarin Oriental is a luxurious 5-star resort positioned on 2km of beachfront property in Pylos and is the most recent of its variety in Costa Navarino.
The lately opened resort is smaller and extra intimate than the massive resorts. The Mandarin Oriental has 51 suites and 48 villas with choices that embody sea views, non-public swimming pools, and spacious outside dwelling areas. The resort’s world-class spa affords a spread of luxurious therapies and focuses on soothing thermal and water therapies.
Friends can entry an out of doors swimming pool, an indoor lap pool, and a concierge service that organizes excursions and water actions. Onsite wellness consultants provide personalised health experiences, together with yoga lessons, tennis teaching, and vitamin recommendation.
The resort’s eating places provide French, Greek, and Japanese Mediterranean delicacies with plant-based dishes, specializing in utilizing solely native produce and seafood.